Boat or launch.



PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

J. C. BURGHER.

BOAT OR LAUNCH.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 4, 1904.

2 SHEBTSSHBET 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

No. 77 .493. 7 J. G. BURGHER.

BOAT OR LAUNCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

, 'lIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/l Patented December e, 1904,

JOHN (J. BURCHER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO i HARLAN PAGE, OF GERMANTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOAT OR LAUNCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,493, dated December 6, 1904.

Application filed March 4, 1904. Serial No. 196,607. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BURCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats or Launches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to the provision of a pleasure or other boat or launch with a hollow trunk or bottom portion for the reception of motor-actuating means for a motor controlling the actuation of the propeller wheel or screw of the boat or launch interposed between buoyant portions or compart- 'ments of the trunk adjacent, respectively, to

bow and stern, whereby is simplified the means of propulsion of the boat or launch, lightness of the boat is enhanced, and possibilities of overturning in dangerous or tempestuous seas are minimized and a greater area of available surface within the boat had for occupancy, storage, and other purposes; and in such connection my invention relates to the general construction and arrangement of such a boat or launch having the characteristic features enumerated among others therein.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional View, partly in elevation, of a boat or launch containing or embodying main features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view there of. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view, enlarged, through the boat or launch containing features of my invention on the line 00 a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal sectional view, enlarged, from the bow portion of the boat or launch, showing the hollow trunk with current generating or storage means consisting of two series of connected storage batteries mounted therein and showing also the buoyant compartment and buoyant chamber adjacent to and arranged rearwardly of the bow of the boat or launch; and Fig. 5 is a similar view, enlarged, from the stern portion of the boat or launch, showing the hollow trunk, buoyant rear compartment, and the buoyant chamber in the stern portion of the boat and the propeller wheel or screw and shaft connected directly with a motor adapted to be actuated by a series of storage batteries mounted in the hollow trunk or bottom.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the boat or launch the sides whereof are construct: ed in the present instance with ribs at suitable distances apart and with planking to constitute the shell of the boat.

B is a hollow longitudinal trunk or bottom portion, made, preferably, of metal and of the shape illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, interposed between the bow at and stern (1/ of the boat and forming portions thereof. The bow portion of the trunk, made, preferably, of plate-iron bolted together, is hermetically sealed to constitute a buoyant coinpartmeilt hand the rear portion, of similar character and arrangement, constitutes a buoyant compartment I), so as to enhance the lightness of the boat and to minimize the possibilities of overturning of the boat in tilting, teetering, or rolling actions of the same in tempestuous seas or waters.

Within the main portion of the hollow trunk B, divided into sections 6 separated by partitions 6 are mounted in series, in the present instance, currentgeneratingorstorage means, such as storage batteries C. These batteries are coupled to each other and connected in series by wires 10, passing through a bushing or hearing 7), provided. in the partitions Z). The upper part of the partitions I) are provided with cross-strips 6", faced with rubber or other material to form gaskets b, so that the removable sections of the covers 5 of the hollow trunk B at the points of junction of one with the other may be made waterrtight as Well as other portions of the cover as to its sections of the hollow trunk B.

Extending crosswise at the forward and rearward portions of the trunk B are tubes 6 and 6 to permit water cast into the boat to circulate back and forth to either side of the central trunk, so as not to produce abnormal tilting or rolling actions of the boat in the water to affect in any way the action of the current generating or storage means of the boat or launch.

Vithin the rear portion of the boat is provided a chamber (Z, wherein is mounted in the present instance a suit-able electric motor D, having a shaft d connected directly with a screw-propeller (Z2 for propelling the boat. This motor D is connected by wires 11 with the series of batteries C, mounted in the sealed hollow trunk B through a bushing or hearing (Z E is a buoyant chamber arranged adjacent to the inner surface of the bow a, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, of the boat and extending to and also some distance above the flooring 66 of the boat to preferably near the top of the bow. F is an irregular-shape buoyant chamber in the stern portion a of the boat of preferably the type illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. These buoyant chambers tend to minimize possibilities of sinking of the boat in the event of any accidental overturning thereof, thus insuring far better results in the handling of such type of light crafts or boats, to which my invention is especially applicable for pleasure or similar purposes.

It will be manifestly obvious that as to some details of construction of the boat or launch modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to all of the details of the same as illustrated and hereinbefore explained; but,

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk or bottom portion divided into compartments, motor-actuating means mounted in one of said compartments and buoyant compartments at each end thereof.

2. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk divided into compartments, whereof one is made water-tight for containing motoractuating means, and whereof the others are made buoyant and located at each end thereof, in the direction of the bow and stern.

3. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk divided into separate compartments, whereof the central compartment is adapted to contain means for controlling a motor for actuating the propeller screw or wheel, and whereof the others adjacent to the bow and stern are made air and water tight to constitute buoyant compartments.

L. A boat or launch provided with a longitudinal trunk having a cover, in sections, detachably connected therewith, said trunk divided into compartments for the motor-actuating means and provided with air and water tight chambers at each end thereof.

5. A boat or launch provided with a buoyant bow and stern and a hollow trunk, motoractuating means mounted therein and air and water tight chambers to constitute buoyant compartments disposed adjacent thereto.

6. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk divided into compartments for motoractuating means and to constitute air and water tight compartments at each end of the same and tubing extending through certain of said compartments.

7. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk divided into compartments provided with a detachable sectional cover, current generating and storage means for actuating an electric motor mounted in the central compartment, and air and water tight compartments located at each end of said central compartment, in the direction of the bow and stern of the boat.

8. A boat or launch provided with a hollow longitudinal trunk divided into water and air tight compartments, whereof one of said compartments contains motor-actuating means for the screw-propeller, and tubing extending through said trunk, to either side of the boat.

9. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk extending substantially the length of the boat, and having a cover-plate adapted to render the same water and air tight, and water-circulating means extending crosswise through the trunk of said boat.

10. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk extending substantially the length of the boat, and divided into separate compartments located below the flooring of the boat, and said trunk provided with coverplates adapted to render said trunk air and water tight.

11. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk extending substantially the length of the boat, and having cover-plates adapted to render the trunk water and air tight and buoyant compartments in the bow and stern of the boat.

12. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk extending substantially the length of the boat and having cover-plates adapted to render the trunk water and air tight, buoyant compartments located in the stern and in the bow above said trunk, and the flooring of the boat interposed between said buoyant compartments.

13. A boat or launch provided with a hollow trunk extending substantially the length of the boat and divided into a series of compartments, having cover plates adapted to render the same water and air tight, buoyant ITO compartments in the bow and in the stern signature in the presence of two subscribing, above said trunk, witlh flooring of the boat inwitnesses. terposed between saic buoyant compartments, screw-propeller means located outside of said JOHN BURCHER' 5 trunk and connected with means supported in Witnesses:

the water-tight compartment of said trunk. J. WALTER DOUGLASS,

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my J AS. G. WOBENSMITI-I. 

